Window latch



C. L. EADS WINDOW LATCH March 29, 1966 Filed Nov. 26, 1963 4 a 49 g 1 /H/W 3 7, i Ml 6 z 2 2 m 2 6 a Kfiar/es 1. [ads INVENTOI.

WHANN 8 McMAN/GAL Af/onreys for fl J/can/ United States Patent 3,243,215WINDOW LATCH Charles L. Eads, Studio City, Calif., assignor to AdamsRite Manufacturing Company, Glendale, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 325,997 7 Claims. (Cl. 292-56)The present invention relates generally to lock and latching mechanisms,and is more particularly concerned with spring type latches such as finduse with sliding panels, doors, windows, and the like.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an improvedlatching device for sliding structures such as panels, doors, windowsand the like, having a unique bolt arrangement which functions both toretain the sliding structure against lifting removal from its slidingsupport, and also provide a releasable latch for retaining the structurein a closed position. The structure of the invention thus eliminates thenecessity of providing a separate anti-lifting device.

A further object is to provide a latching device for releably retainingsliding structures in closed position, and in which a latch actuator isutilized which serves as a releasable stop for limiting opening movementof the structure to a partially opened position, but which may beactuated to a depressed position permitting movement of the structure toa fully opened position.

Another object is to provide latching means of the herein describedcharacter for releasably securing a sliding unit in closed position, andwhich embodies a retractable stop so positioned and operable as toprevent injury to an operators fingers by passing llnits during a unitopening operation.

A still further object is to provide a unique latching mechanism forsliding windows which incorporates in a unitary device actuating meanswhich are selectively operable to provide a plurality of differentessential operating functions.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingpart of the specification, wherein detailed description is for thepurpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitationsthereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes only:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation View of a sliding windowstructure with latching means of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the latching means in its mountedposition, portions being cut away to show the cooperative relationshipof the bolt with associated keeper means;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantially on line3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially on line 44of FIG. 2, portions being cut away to more clearly show the cooperativerelationship of certain parts, and with the latching bolt in latchingposition;

FIG. 5 is a similar partial fragmentary view with the bolt moved fromlatching position in FIG. 4 to a nonlatching position; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmetary sectional view, taken substantially on line 6-6of FIG. 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes,a latch as indicated at A embodying the features of the invention isshown as being applied to a sliding panel unit, in this case a slidingWindow frame 10. The window frame is of conventional construction, beingfabricated with extruded rail and stile 3,243,215 Patented Mar. 29, 1966ice frame members 11 and 12 in which may be mounted a glass panel 13.

The sliding window frame is slidingly supported on a plurality of aantifriction rollers 14 which are arranged to roll upon a T-rail 15having a head portion 16, as shown in FIG. 3. As shown, the window frame10 is in overlapped passing relation with respect to an associatedwindow frame which includes a rail member 11' and stile member 12'.

The latch A is mounted on the lower rail 11 of the sliding frame in aposition inwardly spaced from the stile member 12 of the frame, as shownin FIG. 1. The latch is illustrated as comprising a cup-like casing 18which is constructed with end walls 19 and 20 and spaced side walls 21and 22 which cooperate to define a side opening 23 at one side of thecasing.

At the ends of the casing, mounting lugs 24-24 (FIG. 4) are provided.The casing is mounted within the rail member with its side opening 23 inregistration with an opening 25 of similar configuration which is formedin side wall 26 of rail 11. On the outer surface of side wall 11, thereis provided an escutcheon or a face plate 27 formed with an elongateopening 28 therein which is adapted to register with the openings 23 and25. The face plate is assembled in cooperative relation with the casing18 by providing attaching screws 29-29 arranged to extend through thewall 26 and theadedly engage the mounting lugs 24-24.

The side walls 21 and 22 are centrally provided with vertical open endedslots 30-30 which have arcuate inner ends 30'. These slots are utilizedfor pivotally supporting a latch operating lever 31 so that it will beaccessible from the open side of the casing. The lever 31 is generallyL-shaped, and is constructed with one leg portion 32 of a width andlength such that it will substantially cover the left half of the casingopening, as seen in FIG. 2. The other leg portion 33 of the operatinglever extends into the casing and is provided with oppositely projectingtrunions 34-34 which are formed with an arcuate end 35 in each case forengagement with the adjacent arcuate end wall 30' of the slot 30.

Each of the minions includes an integrally formed tapered extension 36which has limited movements between the side walls of the slot 30, andthus serves to limit the swinging movement of the latch operations leverbetween a position projecting through the face plate opening 28 and adepressed position in which the leg 32 lies in a substantially flushrelation with respect to the outer surface of the side wall 26 of therail 11. The operating lever 31 is retained with its trunions in theslots 30 by means of finger extensions 37-37 respectively formed on theopposite sides of the face plate 27 and adapted to extend into theadjacent open ends of slots 30-30. The adjacent ends of the fingerextensions 37-37 and the outer ends of the extensions 36-36 are providedwith complimentary arcuate confronting edges of engagement. Acompression spring 38 is positioned in the casing so as to underlie theleg portion 32 of the opening lever, this spring normally acting to urgethe lever in a clockwise direction to the limit of its movement, whereinthe leg 32 occupies its extended position. Each trunion is provided withan axially extending multisided extension 39 and has a central threadedbore 40 to facilitate the mounting of a bolt member 41 to accommodatethe latch for right or lefthanded installations, as desired.

It will be observed that with the operating lever 31 mounted asdescribed above, the right hand portion of the opening 28 of the faceplate affords entrance to this end of the casing for the insertion of anoperators finger, whereby the unlatched window may be moved from a M.Wat

closed position towards an opened position and vice versa.

The bolt member 41 is of generally U-shaped construction and includesspaced leg portions 42 and 43 extending from a bridging portion 44secured intermediate its ends to one of the trunion extensions 39, asshown in FIG. 2. The leg portions 42 and 43 carry inwardly extendingprojections 45 and 46 respectively which are in spaced relation axiallyof the bridging portion. Each of the projections 45 and 46 has abevelled edge 47 which acts as a camming surface to raise the bolt andpermit it to ride over a keeper 48 mounted on one side of the T-rail soas to assume a latching position when the window is moved to fullyclosed position.

In addition to the operation of the bolt 41 for retaining the window infully closed position, the projections 45 and 46 are arranged so that inthe extended position of the latch operating lever, the projectionsextend under the opposite edges of the head 16 of the T-rail so as tonormally retain the Window frame against removal by lifting orseparating it from its operative position on the rail 15. However, thewindow frame may be readily released and removed by simply depressingthe latching lever so as to rotate the bolt to an inclined position withrespect to the rail 15, as shown in FIG. 5. In this position, theprojection 45 and 46 are moved out from under the rail head to anon-latching position, thus permitting lifting movement of the window toseparate it from the rail 15, when desired.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the sliding window frame 10 or other anel maybe released for movement from its fully closed position simply bydepressing the operating lever 31 to release the bolt from the keeper48. With a finger positioned in the left side of the opening 28, thewindow may be moved towards open position. Once the opening movement hasbeen initiated, the operating lever may be released and the openingmovement continued to a partially opened position as shown in FIG. 1, inwhich position the projecting operating lever will reach the positionshown in dotted lines and engage the stile 12' of the other window unitso as to stop the opening movement of the window 10 at a partiallyopened position. It will be observed that the operation of the operatinglever as a stop member serves as a safety device which will preventpossible injury to the operators finger if movement Were permittedwithout interruption until the operators finger engaged the adjacentedge of the stile 12'. When it is desired to open the window 10 beyondthe partially opened position just described above, this may be readilyand easily accomplished without subjecting the operator to probableinjury simply by depressing the operating lever so as to permit itspassage behind the frame of the associated window. In this case theoperator may simply grasp the rail 12 of the window 10 and continueopening movement of this window to fully opened position.

From the foregoing, it is believed that it will be readily appreciatedthat the latch described herein embodies unique operating features asset forth in the objects and that these objects are obtained by thedescribed structure. By utilizing the unique latch arrangementdescribed, it is possible to obtain a plurality of essential operatingfunctions with a minimum of structural elements at a single operatinglocation.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do notwish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentionedexcept to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Latching means for a window frame supported for sliding movementsbetween a closed position and an opened position, the combinationcomprising:

(a) a cup-like casing adapted for mounting on a movable side member ofsaid frame with its open 4 side substantially flush with a surface ofthe side member;

(b) a bolt-operating member supported adjacent one end of said casingfor movements respectively to a position extending outwardly through theassociated open side portion for projecting beyond said casing to forman abutment means, and to a retracted position substantially flush withsaid open side to permit sliding of the frame, the open side portionadjacent the other end of the casing forming a recess for receiving afinger for manually slidingly moving the frame in opening and closingdirections; and

(c) bolt means operable by said member into latching and non-latchingpositions for engagement with a keeper in the closed position of thewindow frame.

2. Latching means for a window frame supported for sliding movementsbetween closed and opened positions, the combination comprising:

(a) a casing adapted for flush mounting on a surface adjacent a side ofsaid frame;

(b) a bolt-operating member supported in said casing for movementsrespectively to projecting bolt latching and retracted non-latchingpositions;

(c) an elongate element extending adjacent said casing;

(d) fixedly mounted keeper means adjacent said element; and

(e) bolt means operable by said member normally having slidinginterlocking engagement with said elongate element during slidingmovements of said window frame, and releasably engaging said keepermeans for securement of the window frame in its closed position.

3. Latching means for a window frame supported for sliding movementsbetween closed and opened positions, the combination comprising:

(a) a casing adapted for flush mounting on a surface adjacent a side ofsaid frame;

(b) a bolt-operating member supported in said casing for movementsrespectively to projecting bolt latching and retracted non-latchingpositions;

(c) an elongate track extending adjacent said casing;

(d) antifriction means adapted to be carried by said frame side forsupporting said frame for movements along said track;

(e) fixedly mounted keeper means adjacent said track;

and

(f) bolt means operable by said member for releasably engaging saidkeeper means in the closed position of said frame and shaped to normallyoperate to retain said frame against removal separation from said track.

4. Latching means for a window frame supported for sliding movementsbetween closed and opened positions, the combination comprising:

(a) a casing adapted for flush mounting on a surface adjacent a side ofsaid frame;

(b) a bolt-operating member supported in said casing for movementsrespectively to projecting bolt latching and retracted non-latchingpositions;

(c) an elongate T-rail extending along said casing;

(d) antifriction means adapted to be carried by said frame side forsupporting said frame for movements along said rail;

(e) fixedly mounted keeper means adjacent said rail;

(f) bolt means operable by said member having parts normally extendingunder the top edges of the rail for retaining said frame against removalseparation with respect to said rail, and parts operable in the closedposition of said frame for releasably engaging said keeper.

5. Latching means for a sliding window frame, comprising:

(a) a cup-like casing having an open side;

(b) a bolt-operating lever supported between the casing ends byoppositely extending end trunnions for movements respectively to aposition projecting outwardly of the plane of said open side, and to adepressed position at least substantially flush with the plane of saidopening;

(c) spring means normally urging said lever to its projecting position;

((1) a U-shaped bolt member operable by said lever, said member beingsupported for rotation about an axis extending through its bridgingportion and between the legs thereof; and

(e) an inwardly projecting end portion carried by each of said legs,said end portions being spaced on opposite sides of said axis ofrotation.

6. Latching means for a sliding Window frame, comprising:

(a) a cup-like casing having an open side;

(b) a bolt-operating lever supported between the casing ends byoppositely extending end trunnions for movements respectively to aposition projecting outwardly of the plane of said open side, and to adepressed position at least substantially flush with the plane of saidopening;

() spring means normally urging said lever to its projecting position;and

(d) a U-shaped bolt member having its bridging portion secured to one ofsaid trunnions and with its leg portions lying on opposite sides of thetrunnion axis of rotation, said leg portions having end projectionadapted in one position to engage under the head of an associated railmember, and in another position permit relative lateral separation ofthe rail and bolt member.

7. Latching means for a sliding window frame, comprising:

(a) a cup-like casing having an open top extending between spaced sidewalls, said side walls having vertical slots aligned transversely of thecasing intermediate its ends;

(b) a bolt-operating lever supported at one end by oppositely extendingtrunnions in said slots and with the lever extending over substantiallyone half of said open top, the other half of the open top being adaptedto receive an operators finger therein for applying a lateral forceagainst the casing;

(c) a projection carried by one of said trunnions extending into itsassociated slot and coacting therewith to provide rotational stop limitsof said lever;

(d) spring means normally urging said lever towards one of its stoplimits; and

(e) bolt means carried by one of said trunnions operable by said leverto engagement and non-engagement positions with respect to fixed keepermeans.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 63,157 3/1867Hedrich 292128 532,042 1/ 1895 Eichbauer 292-128 534,185 2/ 1895Winchester.

724,081 3/ 1903 Brown 292228 958,864 5/1910 Engert et al. 1,130,1503/1915 Cossey. 1,667,771 5/ 1928 Chiapparelli 292-228 X 2,282,885 5/1942 Raymond. 2,700,801 2/ 1955 Pierson. 3,131,892 5/1964 Salmun 2019 X3,167,112 1/ 1965 Tucker 20-19 X r JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. R.E. MOORE, Assistant Examiner.

2. LATCHING MEANS FOR A WINDOW FRAME SUPPORTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENTSBETWEEN CLOSED AND OPENED POSITIONS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: (A) ACASING ADAPTED FOR FLUSH MOUNTING ON A SURFACE ADJACENT A SIDE OF SAIDFRAME; (B) A BOLT-OPERATING MEMBER SUPPORTED IN SAID CASING FORMOVEMENTS RESPECTIVELY TO PROJECTING BOLT LATCHING AND RETRACTEDNON-LATCHING POSITIONS; (C) AN ELONGATE ELEMENT EXTENDING ADJACENT SAIDCASING; (D) FIXEDLY MOUNTED KEEPER MEANS ADJACENT SAID ELEMENT; AND (E)BOLT MEANS OPERABLY BY SAID MEMBER NORMALLY HAVING SLIDING INTERLOCKINGENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ELONGATE ELEMENT DURING SLIDING MOVEMENTS OF SAIDWINDOW FRAME, AND RELEASABLY ENGAGING SAID KEEPER MEANS FOR SECUREMENTOF THE WINDOW FRAME IN ITS CLOSED POSITION.